Forest of Dean District explained

Forest of Dean District Council
Coa Pic:	Forest of Dean District Council logo.svg
Coa Res:	200px
House Type:	Non-metropolitan district
Leader1:	Di Martin
Election1:	25 May 2023
Leader2:	Adrian Birch
Election2:	18 April 2024
Leader3:	Nigel Brinn
Election3:	November 2023^[1]
Members:	38 councillors^[2]
Structure1:	United Kingdom Gloucestershire Forest of Dean District Council 2023.svg
Structure1 Res:	200px
Structure1 Alt:	Forest of Dean District Council composition
Political Groups1:	Administration (15) Other parties (23)
Next Election1:	6 May 2027
Session Room:	File:Forest of Dean District Council Offices - geograph.org.uk - 3691468.jpg
Session Res:	250px
Meeting Place:	Council Offices, High Street, Coleford, GL168HG

Forest of Dean is a local government district in west Gloucestershire, England, named after the Forest of Dean. Its council is based in Coleford. Other towns and villages in the district include Blakeney, Cinderford, Drybrook, English Bicknor, Huntley, Littledean, Longhope, Lydbrook, Lydney, Mitcheldean, Newnham and Newent.^{[3] [4]}

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. The new district covered the whole area of four former districts and part of a fifth, which were all abolished at the same time:^{[5] [6]}

• East Dean Rural District
• Gloucester Rural District (parishes of Newnham and Westbury-on-Severn only)
• Lydney Rural District
• Newent Rural District
• West Dean Rural District

The new district was named Forest of Dean after the ancient woodland which covers much of the district.^[7]

Governance

Forest of Dean District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Gloucestershire County Council.^[8] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.^[9]

Political control

Since the 2023 election the council has been run by a Green minority administration with support from Labour on a confidence and supply basis.^[10]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:^{[11] [12]}

Party in control		Years
	1974–1976
	1976–1991
	1991–2003
	2003–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2007 have been:^[13]

Councillor	Party		From	To
Marion Winship		23 May 2007	Sep 2009
Peter Amos		11 Sep 2009	8 May 2011
Patrick Molyneux		26 May 2011	13 Jul 2017
Tim Gwilliam		13 Jul 2017	25 May 2023
Mark Topping^[14]		25 May 2023	18 Apr 2024
Adrian Birch^[15]		18 April 2024

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:^[16]

Party		Councillors
	15
	11
	5
	4
	3
Total		38

The next election is due in 2027.

Premises

The council is based at the Council Offices on High Street in Coleford.^[17]

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019, the council has comprised 38 councillors elected from 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[18]

Parishes and settlements

The whole district is divided into civil parishes. The parish councils of Cinderford, Coleford, Lydney and Newent take the style "town council".^[19]

Settlements include:

• • Alvington, Awre, Aylburton Blaisdon, Birdwood, Bream, Brockweir, Bromsberrow, Blakeney
    • • Churcham, Cinderford, Coleford Drybrook, Dymock Ellwood, English Bicknor Gorsley and Kilcot
• Hartpury, Hewelsfield, Highleadon, Huntley
  • Kempley Littledean, Little London, Longhope, Lydbrook, Lydney
• Malswick, Mitcheldean
• Newent, Newland, Newnham
  • Oxenhall Pauntley, Parkend
  • Redmarley D'Abitot, Ruardean, Rudford, Ruspidge Soudley, St. Briavels, Staunton (near Coleford), Symonds Yat
    • Taynton, Tibberton, Tidenham Upleadon Westbury-on-Severn, West Dean, Woolaston

External links

• Forest of Dean District Council

Notes and References

1. News: New Forest of Dean Council chief exec on £110k a year describes role as a 'great opportunity' . 11 May 2024 . The Forester . 10 August 2023.
2. Web site: Find a district councillor - Forest of Dean District Council.
3. Web site: Forest of Dean Parish Map . Gloucestershire County Council . 25 August 2020 . 25 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200825102604/https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/media/1521020/map_-_parish_-_forest.pdf . live .
4. Web site: Administrative unit Forest of Dean District District/Unitary Authority . A Vision of Britain . 25 August 2020 . 9 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200709162946/https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10168375 . live .
5. si. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972. 1972. 2039. 31 May 2023.
6. Web site: Forest of Dean: Local government and public services Pages 377-381 A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 5, Bledisloe Hundred, St. Briavels Hundred, the Forest of Dean. . British History Online . Victoria County History . 25 August 2020 . 7 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307160649/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp377-381 . live .
7. si. The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973. 1973. 551. 31 May 2023.
8. act. Local Government Act 1972. 1972. 70. 31 May 2023.
9. Web site: Election maps . Ordnance Survey . 6 June 2023.
10. News: Garcia . Carmelo . Labour to vote for Green council leader but rules out Forest of Dean coalition administration . 25 June 2023 . Gloucestershire Live . 19 May 2023.
11. Web site: Compositions calculator . The Elections Centre . 1 June 2023.
12. Web site: Forest of Dean . 2009-09-26 . BBC News Online.
13. Web site: Council minutes . Forest of Dean District Council . 28 June 2022.
14. News: Tunnidge . Sarah . Forest of Dean council leader steps down . 20 April 2024 . BBC News . 11 April 2024.
15. News: Garcia . Carmelo . 'Inexperienced' councillor chosen to lead council . 20 April 2024 . BBC News . 19 April 2024.
16. Web site: Local elections 2023: live council results for England. The Guardian.
17. Web site: Contact us . Forest of Dean District Council . 25 June 2023.
18. si . 2018 . 547 . The Forest of Dean (Electoral Changes) Order 2018.
19. Web site: Parish council contact details . Forest of Dean District Council . 25 June 2023.